Have you ever watched a bee gathering pollen? If you have, you know where the old saying, “Busy as a bee” comes from. The bumblebees I tried to photograph yesterday afternoon were not cooperative. They couldn’t be still for two seconds. But who am I to complain? They weren’t combative either. Their minds were centered on one thing: work! And they were doing what God created them to do: gather pollen, make honey, take it to their nests and feed their babies. A lot of honeybees come to the hollyhocks and bee balm too. All the bees are in a good mood, humming happily, and seem unaware that I am there.
As well as being part of nature’s plan, I think God may have created the bumblebee as a lesson for us humans. In the first place, around his sober black, he wears the happy color of sunshine, yellow stripes. He doesn’t look aerodynamic. He is not smooth and sleek like his cousin the honeybee. He is rather plump and fuzzy. His wings are pretty short for his heavy body but contrary to the way he looks, he flies wonderfully. I suppose if a bumblebee could think, he might sink into a state of depression and self-pity, wondering why he could not have been a fast, sleek flier like his kin. But, he accepts himself as he is, stays busy, and is an inspiration to writers!
The bumblebee reminds me of what the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 19:26, “With God, all things are possible.” It is possible for the bumblebee to fly and it is possible for us to do amazing things through our faith in Jesus. He gave each of us abilities and gifts, strengths that we may not even be aware of until we try them. Is there a dream hidden deep within us that we think is only a far-away wish? With God, it is possible. Is there a grief or a hurt that is so deep and so awful that we think we cannot go on? With God, we can.
It may be that our dreams do not coincide with what God has in mind for us. If they don’t, let me tell you that God’s are better. Who could understand us better than the One who created us? And Who could map out a better plan?
When I was a little girl, I had dreams of being a best-selling author, becoming rich (of course!) and being able to travel anywhere in the world I wanted. So far, the only part of that dream that has become reality is the author part; not best-selling, not rich and not able to travel anywhere. But guess what? I love being just where I am. I am able to write, my family is near, which is a lot better than traveling among strangers, and I could look far and wide and not find a more beautiful place to live nor have truer friends.
A person cannot reach my age in life without encountering grief, set-backs, hurts, all those negative things that batter us and try to keep us from being what God planned. But with prayer and faith, we can overcome these and not let them keep us in that dark, depressing place without sunshine. I remember the bumblebee, God’s creation. I look at him and think, “His wings are actually too short to lift that heavy body.” But God doesn’t agree. And the bumblebee flies.
Bee on Bee Balm
Speak Your Mind